Beer Battered Onion Rings & a Beer Pairing

By Casey Pukl

Whether they make you cry or not, onions are one of the most versatile cooking ingredients in the world. Raw, cooked, caramelized, grilled, or fried, these white, yellow, and red rings can tie any dish together! This week, Kristen and Warren have the ultimate pairing of comfort food that’s sure to please!

Beer Battered Onion RingsRoasted Garlic Aioli

Onion rings are a classic American favorite. Pair them with a beer and a ball game, and I’ll be set for hours. Pair them with a beer and some great music, and I’ll be even better.

For this week’s farm fresh pick, Executive Chef Kristen Burman, has put her spin in this classic. To start, cut the top off a garlic bulb, sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until you can squeeze the roasted garlic out easily. Set the garlic aside.

Season a cup or two of flour with salt, pepper and whatever other spices you like— garlic salt, cumin, red pepper, etc. Next, whisk in light beer (be sure not to use a dark beer like porter or stout!) until the mixture resembles pancake batter. Slice up your onions into thick rings, and dip the rings into the batter. Drop the rings into canola oil that has been heated to 350 degrees a few at a time until the rings are crispy and golden. Remove the rings from the fryer and let them drain onto a paper towel.

To make the aioli, take the roasted garlic and finely chop it up. Mix it with mayonaise, and serve with your onion rings!

With a creamy texture and a slight citrus flavor to it, this IPA has quickly become an Anthology favorite! It’s an IPA that’s easy to drink, and always pleases a thirsty crowd. Mission Brewery has long been a San Diego favorite, and their new IPA formulation is a shining example of why they’ll be around for a long time to come.

The pairing of this IPA and the onion rings is one that screams, “Comfort food!” There’s nothing better.

Be sure to come on down and get a little comfort this weekend! We’ve got Hot Tuna acoustic playing tonight at 7:30, Led Zepplin tribute band Led Zepplica at 9:30, Wild Child on Saturday, and classical pianist Alessio Averone on Sunday!